Downton Abbey Episode 06.09
The Downton Abbey 2015 Christmas special was the final episode of the sixth season and the final episode overall of the long-running period series, Downton Abbey. The episode focused on the marriage of Lady Edith Crawley and Herbert Pelham, the newly minted Marquis of Hexham; the off-screen marriage of Lord Merton and Isobel Crawley; as well as happy endings across the board for both the Crawley family and their retinue of servants. Plot The episode begins with the Crawleys going on a picnic near the Abbey. Mary (Michelle Dockery) is walking with her new husband, Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode), and they are still discussing what happened to his friend, Charlie, who died in the previous episode in a racing accident. Henry has announced that he is quitting racing. However, his mood would lift later on when she tells him that she is pregnant with his child. Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), who had become less manipulative and scheming during the course of the season, especially after his failed suicide attempt, left Downton to work for another family, with a staff of only three, but he felt alone and there was nobody he could talk to. He soon realized he was better off at Downton. Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) and her friend, Laura Edmunds (Antonia Bernath), the editor of her magazine, had discovered that her grandmother's butler, Septimus Spratt (Jeremy Swift) was the Agony Aunt columnist for their magazine. Edith went to the Dower House to extend to him a full column and more exposure in the magazine. Despite the aggravation of his enemy, lady's maid, Gladys Denker (Sue Johnston), he accepts the job. The scheming Denker, who was always trying to make Spratt fail, tries to derail him by letting Violet (Dame Maggie Smith) know about his moonlighting, but her scheme is stopped as Violet looks at the column, and laughs, finding Spratt's writing and thoughts witty and humorous, and she also recognized that her butler had talent. Daisy (Sophie McShera) would move out of the Abbey house, where she had lived for years, and would move to Yew Tree Farm where her father in-law Albert Mason, (Paul Cowley) lived and she would gain a suitor in Andy Parker (Michael Fox), one of the footmen and a part-time laborer on the farm. Also, she had also dropped any objections that she had towards Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and her father in-law being together. She was strong enough and sure of herself and finally knowing for sure that she would be able to help out on the farm with the books and also with her cooking, both at the farm and at the Abbey. This helped her to finally realize that she would not lose either Mr. Mason or Mrs. Patmore as they both loved her very much and had always had her best interests at heart. Anna and John Bates (Joanne Froggatt; Brendan Coyle), happy at last after all the trials they had endured, would finally have a baby; a son, who was born in Lady Mary's room. (When Anna's water broke, Mary calmly took control of the situation, and gladly helped her lady's maid/best friend) They would celebrate the New Year themselves. Joseph Molesley (Kevin Doyle) and Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern) lady's maid, Phyllis Baxter (Raquel Cassidy) would grow closer and the former valet/butler would gain more responsibility as a teacher at the Downton school and would receive a new cottage as a result. His future finally secure and working at a job he loved, he would leave service entirely. Tom (Allen Leech) would become interested in Laura, enjoying her spirit and pluck (the same things that reminded him of his beloved Sybil), telling her that she fits in well in a family of strong women. Laura also found that she was beginning to like Tom as well. Tom would have Laura sit near the family during Edith's wedding, which solidified Laura into the inner circle of the family (she had already been accepted when she accompanied Edith to the races and to dinner at Edith's aunt's house in London). Violet and Cora would finally reconcile, as the former finally realized that Cora was the countess of Grantham after a very prolonged fight over the independence of Downton Cottage Hospital. During said fight, Violet would lose her position as president to Cora and the hospital would be merged with a larger hospital in York, although things would remain the same as before the merger, which Cora made very clear. While there, Lord Merton (Douglas Reith) was diagnosed with a form of anemia, at first thought to be the more fatal Pernicious Anemia, but was later revealed to be merely iron-deficient anemia. Robert (Hugh Bonneville) also relented in Cora's position as president of Downton Cottage Hospital after having Rose (Lily James) bring him there and he saw just how good she was at her duties, and letting her know how proud he was of her. Remembering the time during the war when Downton Abbey was a convalescent home, and how she felt wonderful about her work there, Cora had finally found her calling. Isobel (Penelope Wilton) would finally accept the engagement of Lord Merton even in the face of total opposition by Larry (Charlie Anson) and his new wife Amelia (Phoebe Sparrow), whose "cordiality" was nothing more than a sheathe for their contempt of her. After being rebuffed to see Lord Merton numerous times, mostly by the very snobbish Amelia, Isobel enlisted the formidable help of Violet, who went on the notion of "when reason fails, use force!". The indomitable Violet, far from being intimidated by the young snobs, barged into the house, despite their protests, and demanded that Isobel be allowed to see Lord Merton. He would come down, and despite his snobbish son and daughter in law's complaining, listened to what the women were saying. Isobel announced that she would marry Lord Merton as soon as it could be arranged. While Larry and Amelia were disgusted, Lord Merton was delighted (he shouted "I think that's marvelous!") and Violet was thrilled. Amelia yelled that Isobel was kidnapping him into marriage and that he would not have his "devoted family" (meaning her and Larry). They saw Isobel as a necessary evil, someone who would nurse him and they wouldn't have to do a thing, but now that he was deathly ill, she did not fit into their scheme. Having had enough of the pair of them, especially given the trouble Larry had already given to the Crawleys before (two dinners at Downton Abbey where he had been thrown out for his boorish behavior), he denounced them wrathfully. He then left his angered son and daughter in-law with Cavenham Park, their family home, to "live out their misery in splendor", and would move into Crawley House with Isobel. Their marriage occurred off-screen and it would be revealed that by the time Christmas 1925 arrived, Isobel was now recognized as the new Lady Merton. At New Year's of 1926, Edith would finally be married to Herbert "Bertie" Pelham (Harry Haden-Paton), the new Marquis of Hexham, and revealed to everyone, including his mother Mirada (Patricia Hodge), that Marigold was her daughter, by the late Michael. Earlier, Edith had revealed the secret to her, and at first, she was not happy with it, as she felt Edith was damaged goods, but Bertie put her in her place. During dinner, she was about to say something horrid, but Robert stopped her by saying if she said what she was about to say, she would lose Bertie altogether. So, she toasted the couple instead. Mirada was won over by her honesty; she said that it took bravery for her to reveal something that could have been scandalous and risk everything she was working for, and she admired her for it; and declares that the marriage would be a success. She even enjoyed some play time with her new step-granddaughter, Marigold, who would be waiting for her mother and new stepfather at the Pelham castle, Brancaster. Mirada told Edith that all she wants is for Edith to love Bertie, that would be all she wanted, and she was sure it would come to pass, because it was evident that Bertie and Edith truly loved one another. Everyone, above and below stairs, including Lady Rosamond (Samantha Bond); Lady Rose, her husband Atticus (Matt Barber), and Rose's father, Shrimpie, who had finally divorced Susan, were assembled for Edith and Bertie's departure. During the reception, Shrimpie would read a telegram from Edith's grandmamma, Martha, which congratulated her on her marriage and for finding the happiness that had seem to elude her for so long. Robert and Cora were kind of sad that Martha hadn't attended, but were also glad as well, because of her outspokenness. Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) is revealed to have palsy, whose hands shaking has compromised his duties as butler. Thus he turns in his resignation. While at the wedding, Thomas, who himself had been trained by Carson, comes to help with the serving of champagne. Robert comes up with the idea of hiring Thomas as the new butler, with Carson and his wife, Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) still living in their cottage, as the elder statesman overseeing the grand events as he always had. After Edith leaves, Robert thanks Carson for his many years of long and loyal service to the family and the two long-time friends share their best wishes with one another. Also at the reception, Violet pulls Spratt aside and she not only happily retains him as a butler, but announces in earshot of Denker, that she approves of his second career as a columnist. She also tells him that in the future, she would go to him for advice on fashion, and absolutely everything else. Spratt accepts the praise of his employer, and shoots his enemy a triumphant look, while Denker is infuriated that her troublemaking ended up backfiring on her! During the throwing of the bouquet, it was Laura who caught it, which signaled that she was interested in the widowed Tom, who, along with Henry, his new brother in-law, opened a garage and motor car dealership in Ripon. With his new business venture, as well as his work with the estate with Mary and Robert, and raising Sybbie as a single parent, Tom was finally content, and he was truly part of the Crawley family. At the end, everyone rang in the new year, Violet and Lady Merton toasted in the New Year, while they maintained their companionship for the rest of their lives; while the entire staff, below stairs, would sing "Auld Lang Syne". Category:Prime time soaps